


Meeting the Bear

by alxxiis



Series: Better By Your Firelight [1]
Category: Baldur's Gate
Genre: Alcohol, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:07:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27606053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alxxiis/pseuds/alxxiis
Summary: The party meets Halsin, and Serilda puts up with her twin’s attitude. (Not a whole lot happens, this is just me establishing them meeting.)
Relationships: Halsin (Baldur's Gate)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Better By Your Firelight [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2018318
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	Meeting the Bear

The bear stood eye level with her, watching her with a tilt of its head. Goblin bodies and stench surrounded them, and while the threat of the bear remained, Serilda hoped this bear was actually the person they were searching for. It blinked at her, and she swore she saw its mouth twitch into a smile before it shifted its weight to its hind legs and began to glow. The body morphed into one more sapien, and the light dissipated, revealing a very large, wide-smiled elf.

He shook his hand, flicking away goblin blood and grimacing when something solid hit the ground. 

"Pardon the viscera," the elf said in a warm, deep voice. "One should cherish all of nature's bounty, but goblin guts are quite far down the list."

Serilda let out a nervous chuckle, still in shock at the sight before her: not that the bear had turned into the elf--she’d seen that already in the grove--but that the elf was so… big. He stood over a head taller than her--to meet his eyes required her to crane her neck a tad--and his sheer bulk was nothing short of impressive. And he was admittedly attractive, even with the deep-set scars running across his face.

“You aided a bear without knowing if it would savage you,” he remarked with a laugh, his facial scars moving as his eyes crinkled. “A true friend of nature--or perhaps a lunatic.”

“I believe the lunatic would be my sister,” Serilda said, shooting a glare at Aurella. “I’m so sorry she goaded those children on.”

“Whatever,” Aurella scoffed as she rubbed goblin blood out of her blonde strands. “They were having so much fun. How could you not join in?”

The elf shrugged. “It is easy to fall into the wiles of children.”

“You’re lucky he wasn’t a real bear,” Astarion muttered, nudging Aurella’s arm and smirking. “You deserve to be torn to shreds.”

Aurella returned his smirk. “I’m sure the sight would be one you’d keep in mind when alone in your tent.”

Astarion opened his mouth to retort--or continue their disturbing flirtations if his grin was anything to go by--but Serilda’s groan quieted him. She rubbed her leathered hand against forehead and sighed.

“Either way,” the elf continued, a smile playing on his lips, “I owe thanks. I am the druid Halsin.”

Serilda grinned, “I’d hoped so. We were asked to find you.” She sucked in the corner of her lip, considering spoiling the rescue with grim news. “The druids are about to perform some rite and close off the grove, leaving the Tieflings stranded or killed.”

“What?” his grateful demeanor changed abruptly. He set his hands on his hips and sighed, looking down at the ground. “Kagha. We must return to the grove. I cannot allow this rite to be completed.”

“She thinks she’s saving it.”

“This is my doing,” he admitted. “I foolishly left it vulnerable to this rabble.” His eyes returned to hers, and again, his features shifted. “There’s more, isn’t there?” He stepped forward and leaned down slightly. “That look in your eyes--in all of your eyes--I’ve seen in before. Are you feeling all right?”

“It can wait,” she said, holding up her hand.

“The hell it can,” Aurella said. “There are mindflayer tadpoles in our heads. We need them taken care of!” 

“And what is he supposed to do here?” Serilda asked, turning her head toward her twin. “Slice us open in the middle of a goblin hoard?” 

She turned back to Halsin who was stroking his chin. “It’s spreading then,” he said. “You all suffer from the very blight I came here to investigate. I thought all the afflicted worked together. Clearly, I was wrong.” He paused, his gaze bouncing to each of them before settling back on Serilda. “No visible signs of ceremorphosis. Just like the others. The good news is you still have time.” His eyes turned downcast. “The bad news: I don’t know how much.”

Aurella let out an irritated sigh, drawing an apologetic look from Halsin. Serilda ignored her.

“I will do my best to help you,” he promised, “but, as you said, I’m unable to slice you open in the middle of a goblin hoard.” He smiled as he spoke, but it quickly fell. “There’s work to do--blood to spill. I cannot allow these butchers to threaten my grove. The natural order must be protected.”

Each word spoken seemed to add another inch to his height. Gone was the man who laughed about strangers saving a possibly wild bear; this was a leader of druids, the Master of the Emerald Grove. Serilda could do little but stare, a bit in awe of the authority he demanded just in the shift of voice.

“What can we do?” Serilda asked without a second thought.

“More running around putting ourselves in danger for others, right?” Aurella muttered.

“We came here to kill the gobbos anyway,” Wyll remarked. “It’s good to be the hero every now and then, Aurella.”

Aurella and Serilda rolled their eyes, though for entirely different reasons. Serilda gave Halsin a nod to continue.

“Rare is the beast that survives decapitation,” he replied, his more jovial side returning. “These parasites are nothing without their command. We must eliminate their leaders, and nature will cure itself.”

“Okay,” Serilda replied. “We’ll help.”

He beamed at her. “Thank you.”


End file.
